XXIV. A catalogue of nearly all the principal fixed stars between the zenith of Cape Town, Cape of Good Hope, and the South Pole, reduced to the 1st. of January, 1824

• Published in: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: The Royal Society 1824
• Subjects: South Pole; South pole
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rstl.1824.0027; https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.1098/rstl.1824.0027

The following Catalogue of nearly all the principal fixed stars in the southern hemisphere, from the zenith of Cape Town to the South Pole, was deduced from observations made during the latter part of 1822 and the beginning of the present year. Its pretensions to accuracy will be easily estimated by stating the circumstances under which the observations were taken, the respective merits of the instruments used, and the attention, on the part of the observer, to do every justice to the means placed in his power. Immediately after my arrival in this colony (at the end of 1821,) I lost no time in personally examining different parts of the country, for the purpose of selecting one, which might be deemed eligible as a site for the intended Observatory about to be erected here. After many fruitless endeavours to accomplish the object of my wishes, I had the good fortune, at length, to find a situation in the vicinity of Cape Town, which, upon the whole, possessed more local advantages than any I had seen elsewhere. My Report, containing a description of this site, and a Map of the surrounding country, was forwarded to My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty in the month of March, 1822 : since then I have had no reason to change my opinion upon the propriety of my choice. As a considerable period would likely intervene between the date of my Report, and the time when instructions would be received to commence the building of the Observatory, I was desirous of employing this interval in forming a Catalogue of fixed stars which might prove useful, when more extensive means of accomplishing the work with greater truth might be placed in my power, I therefore lost no time in requesting His Excellency Sir Rufane Donkin, the Acting Governor, to allow me a small wooden house, which could be easily converted into a temporary Observatory. My request was kindly granted; and the necessary alterations soon made for the reception of a portable transit instrument, a clock, and an altitude and azimuth circle.